Last week, SCAD announced six of the 2017 SCAD Savannah Film Festival honorees for the festival’s twentieth anniversary lineup.
In the past week, the university released the names of seven more honorees including Richard Gere, Ashley Judd, Kyra Sedgwick, Zoey Deutch, Mariska Hargitay, Andrea Riseborough and Willow Shields. They join previously announced honorees John Boyega, Salma Hayek Pinault, Holly Hunter, Robert Pattinson, Aaron Sorkin and Sir Patrick Stewart.
Gere, an acclaimed humanitarian, actor, producer and Golden Globe winner, will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award Saturday, Nov. 4 before a screening of the Winston Churchill biopic “Darkest Hour.” Gere’s film credits include “Pretty Woman,” “Primal Fear” and “Chicago” for which he won a Golden Globe in 2003 as Best Actor. His latest film, “Norman,” will screen Saturday, Nov. 4 at 3 p.m. at the Lucas Theatre.
Judd, a multiple Golden Globe and Emmy nominated actress, will be honored with the Virtuoso Award Wednesday, Nov. 1 prior to the festival’s centerpiece gala screening of Greta Gerwig’s latest film, “Lady Bird.” Judd will also participate in a Q-and-A following a screening of one of her most notable films, “Ruby in Paradise,” Wednesday, Nov. 1.
Sedgwick, an accomplished stage, screen and television actress, will be honored with the Spotlight Award Tuesday, October 31 prior to the screening of “Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool.” The actress recently made her directorial debut with the independent film, “Story of a Girl,” which will screen at the festival and feature a post-film Q-and-A.
Riseborough is an English stage and film actress best known for her appearances in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s “Birdman” and Joseph Kosinski’s “Oblivion.” She will be honored with the Outstanding Supporting Actress Award Sunday, Oct. 29 at 10 p.m. for her role as Marilyn Barnett in “Battle of the Sexes” which will screen at 3 p.m. the same day.
Hargitay will receive the festival’s Humanitarian Award Monday, Oct. 30 prior to a screening of Richard Linklater’s “Last Flag Flying.” Best known for her role as Olivia Benson on the NBC series “Law & Order: SVU,” Hargitay has won an Emmy for Outstanding Actress in a Drama, a Golden Globe Award as well as seven Emmy nominations.
Deutch, known for her roles in “Why Him?” and “Before I Fall,” will be honored with the Rising Star Award. Her most recent film “Flower” will screen at the festival Saturday, Oct. 28 at 10 p.m. and will be followed by a Q-and-A.
Shields, also a recipient of the Rising Star Award, is best known for her breakout role as Primrose Everdeen, sister to Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss in the “The Hunger Games” franchise. Shields will participate in a Q-and-A following a screening of her most recent film “Into the Rainbow,” Saturday, Nov. 4 at 2 p.m.
The 2017 SCAD Savannah Film Festival will screen a total of 131 films starting Saturday, Oct. 28 through Saturday, Nov. 4. The schedule includes 33 narrative films, 16 documentaries and 82 short films. The festival will begin with an opening night gala screening of Sorkin’s feature directorial debut, “Molly’s Game,” starring Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba and Kevin Costner. Students can view the full festival lineup here.
Written by Emilie Kefalas.
